The Brookhaven leader., 1887-09-01
ANHEROIC NUN.


Extraordinary Record OF Mother Mary
Teresa, a French Sister of Charity.
In presence of all the French troops
guarding the capital of Touquin, the
Governor-General recently bestowed
the cross Of the Legion of Honor on
nun, Mother Mary Teresa, superioress
of the Sisters of Charity in that en-
pire. The troops were drawn up in
the principal plaza of the city, in
square surrounding a platform on
which were the Governor-General and
his staff When an aid-de-camp was
sent to bring the nun he found her in
the hospital consoling soldier who
was having his leg amputated. She
refused to leave the bedside until the
operation was completed, and then
followed the officer to the square.
where she was received by the General
in person and led up to the platform
amid the joyful exclamations of the
soldiers. The General then COM
manded silence, and in a solemn and
impressive tone addressed her as fol-
lows:
Mother Mary Teresa, when you
were twenty years of age you received
a wound from cannon ball while as
sising one of the wounded on the field
of Balaklava. In 1859 the shell from
mitrailieuse laid you PROSTATE in the
| front rank on the battlefield of Ma
genta Since then you have been in
Syria, in China and in Mexico, and if
/ III = "a ha-
cause you have not exposed yourself
to the shot of gun an cannon and the
/ sabers and lances of the enemy. In
1870 you wers taken up in ReischOffen
covered with many saber wounds
among a heap of dead cuirassers.
/ Such deeds Of heroism you have
crowned few weeks ago with one OF
the most heroic actions which history
records. A grenade fell upon the am
bulance which was under your charge;
it did not burst, but it might have done
so at any moment and caused new
wounds in the bodies of those who were
already wounded; but there you were
you took up the grenade in your
arms, you smiled upon the wounded,
who looked at you with feelings of dis
may, not for themselves, but for you,
and YOU carried it away to distance
of eighty-metcrs. On laying it down,
YOU noticed that it was going to burst;
you threw yourself on the ground; it
burst; you were covered with blood,
but when persons came to your assist
ance, you rose ND smiling. as is your
wont, and said, That is nothing. You
are scarcely recovered from your
wound, and you return to the hospital
whence ! have just now summoned
you"
During these words of praise the
good nun held her head mOdestly cast
down, with her eyes fixed on her cruci-
fix that hung by her side. Then the
General made her kneel down and
drawing his sword, touched her lightly
with it three times on the shoulder and
pinned the cross of the Legion OF
Honor on her habit saying with a
quivering voice:
Il put upon you the cross of the
brave, in the name of the French peo-
pie and army; no one has gained 1t by
more deeds of heroism, nor by
life so completely spent in self-ahnega-
tion for the benefit of your brothers
and the service of your country. Sol
diers, present armsr'
The troops saluted, the drums and
bugles rang out, the air was filled
with acclamations, and all was jubila-
ton and ex element as mother Mary
Teresa rose up, her face suffused with
bushes, and asked: General. have
you finished with me"
Yes" said he.
We'll, then, am going back to my
wounded soldier in the hospital!'-
Brookiyn Citizen